Improvement in refrigerators or beer-coolers



J. SCHMELZER.

Improvement in Refrigerators 0r Beer Coo lers. No. 129,177, Patened.lulyi6,l872r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SGHMELZER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS OR BEER=COOLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,177, dated July 16, 1872.

Specification of an Improved Refrigerator orBeer-Oooler, invented by JOHN ScHMELzER, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio.

This invention relates to the class of refrigerators comprising an internal ice-receptacle, that is located in close proximity to one or more chambers for containing the meats, vegetables, or other edibles to be preserved.

The ice-receptacle is located in such a manner as to expose its rear end, both sides, top, and bottom to the various chambers or apart ments, by which means the atmosphere of the refrigerator is maintained at a uniform low temperature with a very small consumption of ice. The top and bottom of the ice-receptacle are made of a roof-shape, for shedding the sweat or moisture that collects upon the exterior of said receptacle. I also provide gutters or troughs for carrying off the water that drips from the walls of the ice-receptacle, and the discharge-pipes leading from said troughs are provided with an elbow or watertrap, which prevents the external air entering the refrigerator, thereby raising the temperature of the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator embodying my improvements, a number of the doors being thrown open and the detachable shutter of one of the beer-cooling chambers being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section from front to rear, at the line 1 1. Fig. 3 is another vertical section at the line 2 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the ice-receptacle detached.

A represents a rectangular chest whose front is provided with horizontal beams B and vertical ones 0, to which are hinged, or otherwise attached, the doors and shutters of the various chambers of the refrigerator. The lower part of the refrigerator consists of a chamber, E, to which access is had by the hinged doors 0 e, and said chamber is designed more especially for thereception of a number of beerbarrels, which are temporarily stowed therein before being placed on tap. It is preferred that this chamber should extend the entire length of the refrigerator and completely across the same. Located directly above the chamber G, and at the midlength of the same, is the ice-receptacle F, having a hinged door, f, at its front end, and at the rear end a wall, f, that does not come in contact with the doors .9 s. p

at bottom withlugs p 19', that enter recesses back of the refrigerator, a space, G, being left between them to permit circulation of air. The sides H H of the ice-receptacle terminate at top in the roof h h, while the floor I is similarly inclined at t t", as more clearly shown in Fig. 4. A partition, J, at the front end of this receptacle, prevents the ice falling out whenever the door f is opened. A space, k, is left between the roof of the ice-receptacle and the top of the refrigerator, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Apertures Z Z in the floor of the ice-receptacle allow the water that collects in the interior of the same to flow off into the troughs or gutters L L, which gutters also receive all water that drips from the sides, roof, and bottom of receptacle F. Extending from these gutters are branch pipes at m that communicate with a common discharge-pipe, M, the latter being provided with an elbow or water-trap, N. This trap allows the water from the gutters to flow 01f freely, but prevents the external atmosphere entering the refrigerator and raising the temperature of the same. Situated on either side of the ice-receptacle are two chambers, 0, which are intended to contain liquorbarrels ontap, and these chambers have detachable shutters l? P. It is preferred that these two chambers should be provided with tracks or ways R R, having an upward and rearward inclination, and the lower ends of said tracks have journaled in them a concave roller, Q, which facilitates the placing of barrels or kegs in said chambers. Located above the chambers O are chambers S having hinged The shutters P P are provided b b in the horizontal beams B, while the tops of said shutters are furnished with spring-bolts or other lockin g devices T. In order to admit the faucet U in the refrigerator so as to communicate with the barrel on tap, the shutters l? and beams B are recessed so as to form an aperture, whose external end is protected by the perforated plate W W. The lower part W of this perforated plate is attached to the beam 13, while the upper member W is secured to the shutter. Glamped between the beam B and shutter P, by the above described plate, is a divided packing or gasket, X, havinga central opening, :20. After the faucet U has been inserted through the hole as and thence into the beer-barrel, the elastic nature of the packing X causes it to hug said faucet sufficiently close to prevent the entrance of external air into the refrigerator. It is preferred that the shutters and doors should close against rabbets, and the interior of the doors and shutters may have suitable packing interposed between them and said rabbets. The

i entire interior of the refrigerator, doors, shutters, &c., is lined with zinc Z. The walls of the chest A may be made double and packed with charcoal, feathers, or other non-conductors of heat.

Owing to the fact that all the water which drips down from the ice-receptacle is caught in the gutters L L and conducted away from the interior of the refrigerator, there is no opportunity for the articles contained in the chest to become tainted by impure water that has come in contact with various substances, and consequently all edibles when placedin my apparatus retain their original freshness and flavor.

Claim.

I claim as my invention-- The combination and arrangement, as herein described, of the chest A B O, cooling-chambers E e e, O P P, S s s, trough L L, pipesM m m, and ice-receptacle F f j J H H h h It i Z Z, said receptacle being located at the midlength of the chest, and having air-passages G and K between the ice-chamber and top and back of the refrigerator, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN SGHMELZER.

Attest:

Gno. H. KNIGHT, JAMES H. LAYMAN, 

